Life-saving device



March 5, 1929.

c. E. JOURNEY LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed May 192v ATT'QPNEYI PATENT OFFICE.

omnnnon n. JOURNEY, or nos ANGELES, cALIronnrA.

LIFE-SAVING DEVICE.

Application filed May 6,

This application is substituted for my pre vious application concerning the same subject matter, filed Jan. 15, 1925, Serial No. 2,521. a a

This invention relates to life saving devices and it relates particularly to a device of the character especially suited for incorporation in a bathing suit.

The causes of merous. lvlany persons are drowned due to muscular contractions or cramps which paralyze them, others are drowned due to overeXertion which leaves them unable to reach safety, and some are drowned in undertow or riptide. Altho thefsources of drowining are numerous, they may all be reduced to one fundamental cause, and thatis inability to maintain ones self on the surface ofthe water. It is obvious that no person can drown as long as he remains on the surface ofthe water. A great percentage of drownings could be prevented if the drowning person had means for keeping on the water when he is overcome with muscular contract1on,b ecomes exhausted, is caught by undertow or is subject to any cause of drowning.

There are now in use various types of equips P ment which will keep'a person afloat, but these devices have undesirable features which my invention avoids. Of the present equipment g thusientirely protected from injury by the skirt of the suit.

rangement is that the presenceof alife presome are permanent floats suchas cork filled rings and jackets,and others are arranged to be inflated through azvalved tube which may be applied to the mouth of the wearer. The permanent-floats are conspicuous and cumbersome, and therefore, are seldom worn by bathers. The inflatable type cannot be conveniently inflated by persons in thewater, and for a person'to inflate one of these devices While under wateris absolutely impossible, and even though the drowning personshould reach the surface, inflation of such adevice is practically impossible. v It is an object of my invention to provide a life saving device which may be worn by a. bather at all times, but which will not interfere with his activities under usual, conditions. My invention is of such a character that disposed on the person in inert condition under usual circumstances itmay beoperated very readily to transform from inert position into active position. When in active position" my organization servesas a buoy to'maintain the.

possessor on the surface of the water. The

specific constructionof my invention consists? of an air-tight bag and means for inflating the deaths by drowning are nu-c cartridge is broken.

1927. Serial No. 189,433.

bag. The bag may be of convenient character or size, it may be acontinuous annular bag or an elongated shape, and it may be either made from an elastic or a non-elastic material. The inflating means may likewise be taining a permanentcompressed gas. The cartridge is arranged for easy breaking and when, it is desired torinflate the bag, the This breakage permits the compressed gas to expand, filling the bag and transforming it into a buoy. 1

it is an ob ect of this inventionto provide 'of any effective character. In its preferred form, however, it consists of a cartridge con a life preserver which isprotected from injury bytl'ie bathing suit. 7

it is'also an objgect of the invention to pro? vide an organizationm wh ch a portion of a bathing suit isadapted to completely enclose the bag of the preserver. In the preferred form of my invention, I enclose the bag inside the skirt of the bathing suit. .I conveniently accomplish this by making a skirt which is substantially twice the length of an ordinary skirt. The upper end of the skirt is sewed to the suit at the usual-place and the-lower edge 1 is telescoped back upon thegskirt, being brought into a position adjacent to the upper edge. An annular pocket is thereby provided in which thebag isplaced. The bag is Onefeature of this arthe "skirt as well as contributing to the at tractiveness of the bathing suit. I I

It is a further object of the invention to provide a suit of" the character mentioned which will automatically move into position below the'armpits when inflated.

*vide a life saving suit in which the bag readily removable.

Other objects and advantages of my inventlme for bathersto wear belts It is 'also an object ofmy invention to pro- 'tion Willbe presented in the ensuing descrip tion. a

7 side the sewed end 17 of the skirt.

ordinary skirt.

Referring to the drawing in which I illustrate various forms of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a View of a bather wearing a'suit having the features of my invention, a portion of the skirt being broken away to show the construction thereof. The life saving device in this view is shown in collapsed normal position.

F 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the life saving device in inflated position.

Figs. 3,2 and 5 are fragmentary views each showing a different form of my invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2, 1 show a bather 11, wearing a bathing suit 12 embodying the features of my invention. The suit 12 may be of any design. A skirt 13 is sewed to the body of the bathing suit 12 thewaist line 15. The skirt 13 is tubular in shape and is substantially twice the length of an ordinary skirt. The skirt is folded back upon itself, that is, the lower half is telescoped over the upper half so that the free end 16 is positioned along When the skirt is thus folded, the eifective length is the same an ordinary skirt. The free end 16 of the skirt is preferably held in place by a belt 19. The free end of the skirt is supplied with a series of loops which are sewed on the outer face of this part of tee skirt. The belt 19 is extended through the loops 20 and is adjusted by a buckle 23 to the prop r size. an annular channel 24 is formed between the thicknesses of the skirt 13 when the skirt is folded, and in this channel I place a bag 26. The bag presents a closed annular chamber 27 and is impervious to gas. A cartridge pocket 29 is attached to the bag 27 so that an open end extends to the exterior. A cartridge 31 is placed inside the cartridge pocket 7 thru the open on d 30 which is afterward closed by a suitable clip 32. The cartridge 81 is preferably in the form of a shell containing compressed gas. The shell is prepared so that it may be easily broken to permit the gas to escape into the chamber 2? of the bag 26, the gas expanding and filling the bag as will be explained later.

In Fig. 1, the bag is in collapsed position and the skirt 13 is in the position shown in this figure, which position being that of an The. skirt completely surrounds the bag 26 in such a manner that the bags presence is not perceived. T he weight of the is very small, yet having the necessary strength and it is no way bunglesome. The belt 19 adds to the appearance of the suit as well as retains the free end 16 of the skirt in place. The wearing of a belt does not introduce new fad as it 18 common v practice to wear a belt to improve the appear-.

ance of a bathing suit.

In Fig. 2 1 show the bag and skirt in a position conformed when the bag is inflated. To inflate the bag 26, the cartridge 31 is broken, thus allowing the gas to enter the chamber 27 and to expand the bag 26. Skirt bag automatically move into the position shown in Fig. 2. First, because the bag tends to move toward. the smaller diameter of the body, and second, because it is hinged upon the seam 17 and can only swing in one direction. The skirt protects the bag from injury since it entirely encloses the bag. Excessive dilation is also resisted by the skirt and the bag is held in substantially a flat plane thereby. Without the skirt, all of the weight would be placed on the bag at two points, i. e. under the arms and the bag would tend to 5: fold and not hold the, bather as far out of the water as does'my arrangement in which the weight is distributed around the circumfer- W'heninstalling the bag 26, the skirt is oil-. tended as indicated by the dotted lines 35 of Fig. 1. lhe bag is placed over the upper part of the skirt and the lower portion is brought into the position indicated by. the full lines of 1. The belt is then extended through the loops and properly adjusted. The unique skirt arrangement renders the bag conveniently accessible for inspection. andfor removal. a

An auxiliary skirt or apron is sewed to the trunk portion of the suit 12 as shown. This apron 38 is visible when the skirt 13 is positioned as in Fig. 2, said apron 38 improving the appearance of the suit. in Fig. 3, 1 illustrate a skirt 40 which is sewed to a suit ll at 12. The free end 13 of the skirt is provided with a seam 44 in which an elastic 15 is placed. The elastic 15 is invisible and retains the skirt in proper position.

. The form of myinvention shown in 4.

has a skirt 5O whichis sewed at 51 to a suit 52. The free end 53 of the skirt is folded inside the upper portion as shown and has a seamed through which a drawstring extends for re taining the free end in place.

In Fig. 5, my inventionis in theform of a pair of skirts and 61which are sewed at 62 to a suit 68. The lower ends of the skirts 60 and 61 are provided with snaps or buttons which secure the lower ends together.

I have illustrated and described various forms of my invention, all of which embody the essential features thereof. It should be understood however, that alterations maybe made thereon without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I wish my invention interpreted solely by the appended claims. I

1 claim as myinvention:

1. In abathing suit, the combination of: a skirt, said skirt being sewed at one end to said suit, the free end of said skirt being telescoped back into adjacency with said sewed end, said skirt forming an annular bag receiving channel; a bag arranged in said bag receiving swimming activity;

channel; and means for retaining said free end of said skirt in place.

2, In a bathingsuit, the combination of: a skirt, said skirt being sewed at one end to said suit, the free end 01 said skirt being telescoped back into adjacency with said sewed end,said

skirt forming an annular bag receiving channel; a bag arranged insaid bag receiving channel; and a belt for retaining said free endof said skirt in place. I

3. in a bathing suit, the-combination of: a skirt, said skirt being sewed at one end to sald suit, the free end of said skirt being telescoped back into adjacency with said sewed end, said skirt forming an annular bag receiving chan nel; a bag arranged in said bag receiving channel; loops provided at the tree end 01 said skirt; and a belt extending thru said loops for retaining said free end 0 c said skirt in place. 1 i

at. In a bathing suit: a body covering portion of a material adapted to fit tightly to the body of the wearer so as not to interfere with a skirt forming 7 part oi said bathing suit,secured at substanctially the waist-lineand depending downwardly therefrom, said skirt being also of material adapted to fit tightly to thebodyof the i wearer and being formed with an inner layer and an outer layer so as to provide anannular pocket within said skirt; and a fiat inflatable bag disposed within said pocket and normally fitting tightlv the body of the wearer.

5. In a bathing suit: a body covering per tion; a skirt forming a normal part of said.

a normal bathing suit, secured at substantially the ly the body of the wearer; and means for in-- fiating saidbag so as to form afloat. 6. A life saver skirt for use with a bathing an inner'layer and an'outer layer of an elastic material adaptedto adhere tightly to the hips of the wearer so as not to interfere with swim- 'lning activity and forming between said in ner and outer layers an annular pocket, and i an inflatable bag within said pocket adapted also to fit tightly to the body or the wearer.

7. A life saver skirt for use; with a bathing suit, consistin of anannular member having an inner layer and an outerlayer of an elastic suit, consisting of an annular member having c material adapt-ed to'iit tightly to the hips of the wearer so as not to interfere with swimming activity and forming between said inner and outer layers an annular pocket, an inflatable bag within said pocket adaptedalsoto i fit tightlytothe hips or the wearer, and inanually actuated means within said pocket r01- infiatlngsaid bag.

I Signed at Chicago in the county of Cook I and7 State of Illinois, this 4th day of May, 192; N a i CLARENCE E/JOURNEY. 

